Was Noah's flood, peace be upon him, global and comprehensive, or local?
The researcher must view the Book objectively and not impugn it due to a difficulty in understanding one point, and this applies to human discourse, so what then of the Holy Quran? The stories in the Quran aim to strengthen the heart of the Prophet and the believers, and to demonstrate that the Quran is from Allah, Who encompasses all things in knowledge. The Quran mentions from an event what achieves the intended da'wah (invitational) and faith-based purpose, like the story of Noah, which focused on his call, his people's rejection, and their punishment. Information not mentioned by the Quran and about the flood, such as the quantity of water and how animals were gathered, should not be scrutinized because there is no benefit in doing so, and because historical evidence does not lead to a definitive conclusion. The apparent meaning of the Quranic texts indicates the universality of the flood across the earth, and that humanity today is descended from Noah. The Quran does not state that all animals on earth were in the ark, but rather two of every kind; Noah did not carry all animals but only a pair of each type for their reproduction, and there is no evidence to prove that all animals known today existed at the time of the flood. Allah Almighty is the One who created every living creature and guided it to its benefits, and what modern science mentions about ancient times are theories subject to change.
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Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
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